Process of inlaying, ornamenting, and case-hardening metallic surfaces.



' UNITED STATES PATENT oriuon.

SHERARD OSBORN COWPER-COLES, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

PROCESS OF INLAYING, ORNAMENTING, AND CASE-HARDENING METALLIG SURFACES.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented Feb. 2, 1909 Application filed May 20, 1907. Serial No. 374,807.

' sions, Victoria street, Westminster, London,

England, have invented a new and useful Improved Process for Inlaying, Ornamenting, ant Case-Hardening Metallic Surfaces; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an im roved rocess for inlaying, ornamenting an caseardenin metallic surfaces and for coating one meta with another,

It has heretofore been the ractice when inlaying' or onlaying one metaflwith another to cut grooves or recesses in the surfaces into which the metal is beaten or forced or to provide grooves into which the molten metal is run.

Now, according to my invention I expose the metallic surface, orsuch parts thereof as are to be coated, to an atmos here of the vapor of the metal which is to e deposited thereon, the said volatilized metal combining with and condensing on the metallic surface oncoming into contact therewith and form-. in" the required coating.

11 carrying out my invention as applied to the ornamentation of a metal article advantageously proceed as follows, that is to say, I coat the article to be ornamented with a composition such, for example, as whiting mixed with a solution of an'adhesive sub stance such as treacle or molasses which I have found to give good results. After the article has been evenly coated with the composition the desired attern or design is traced on the latter an those portions which are to beinlaid or onlaid are cut out. The article ma then be subjected to the action of a sandlast, although in many cases this is not essential, in order to insure a clean metallic surface tothose arts which are to be inlaidl The article is then introduced into a closed vessel which is connected with a crucible containing molten zinc, cadmium or other metal to be inlaid and which will volatilize at a comparatively low temperature and condense on the article suspended in proximity to it. Hydrogen-gas is passed through or over the molten metal to facilitate the operation. The zinc or other metal is referably heated in an electric furnace eit er of the induced current or resistance type. To case-harden a metal I proceed in a similar manner, that is to say, supposing it be desired -to give a hard coat or skin to say, copper, I suspend the co per article in the metallic va or and direct y it is withdrawn from the c osed vessel I immerse it in cold water instead of allowing it to cool gradually. When coating iron articles'with zinc or any other suitable metals for protective u rposes, the iron is freed from rust and sea e by' any of the well-known methods such as pickling or sand-blasting and the articles are then placed in a chamber into which the metallic vapor is assed, or, if the articles are of a suitable sliape, in a revolving cage or drum.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description that my process can be applied in general to the coating of one metal with an.- other for-a large'variety of urposes'.

Having now particularly escribed and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, Ideclare that what I claim is 1. The method of ornamentin'g, case-har state and passing hydrogpn gas through or over the moltenr'netal, su stantially as ereinbefore described.

2. The process of ornamenting, coating or onlaying of metallic surfaces, which consists in coating thesurface to be ornamented with an adhesive composition, tracing the patternor design upon said composition, then removing the adhesive coating from the ortions of the metal that are to.be coate to form the design, then exposing the metal so prepared to the vapor of the metal to be deposited and passing hydrogen gas over or through the vaporizing metal, substantially as described.

3. 'The process of ornamenting, coating or onlaying of metallic surfaces which consists in coating the surface to be ornamented with an adhesive composition, tracing the pattern or design upon said com osition, then removing metal that are to be coated to form the design, then cleaning the exposed metal surface, metallic vapor in the presence oi a reducing then ex osing the metal so prepared to the agent while out of contactwith the metal sup- Vapor oi the metal to be deposited and passplying the vapor, substantially as described. 10

ing hydrogen gas over or through the vap'or- SHERAR-D OSBORN COWPER-COLES. 5 1z1ng metal, substantlally as described. W1tnesses:

4. The method of coating a metal surface A. ALTUTT,

consisting in subjecting it to the action of a. H. D. JAMESON. 

